The Russellville Junior High Eastside Whirlwinds were unable to stop Beebe’s potent ground attack Thursday night at Cyclone Stadium. Amid screaming fans, the sound of the band and frustrated coaches, the RJHS East defense was torn to pieces by the Badgers running game, led by junior Badger Ethan Franks.

In the end, The Whirlwinds were able to find the end zone three times, but ultimately Beebe rolled over the Whirlwinds 40-19.

Things started positively, when Russellville (1-6) almost consumed the entire first quarter on its first possession and ended it with a touchdown. Marquis Rhode peeled around the right corner and made his way upfield to the 50 on the first play of the drive.

Quarterback Jacob Boles connected on two attempts for an additional 23 yards. The Whirlwinds pushed all the way to the Beebe 5. Rhode completed the drive with a final push into the end zone that gave Russellville an early 7-0 lead with :37 left in the first quarter.

Franks started things off with a 30-yard run to the Whirlwind 46. Franks broke free on the next play and gained a first down at the 34. But he fumbled on the next play, and RJHS East defenders immediately fell on it — one of the only breaks the ’Winds would receive the entire night. Russellville took over at its 36.

Rhode immediately took the ball 15 yards to the 50. Quarterback Jacob Boles connected with Drew Turner for seven yards. On the next play, Rhode attempted to take the ball up the middle, but Franks met him in the backfield for a loss of three. Boles dropped back to pass, and again Franks was hot on his heels. Boles scurried out of the pocket and ran up the sideline for a 3-yard gain. The Whirlwinds were forced to punt the on fourth down.

The Badgers took over at their 41. Franks took the ball 9 yards before he was stopped by Rhode. On the net play Franks picked up the first down. Two plays later Beebe’s Zach Woodall out-juked nearly every defender on the field and ran 43 yards for the score. The Badgers added the 2-point conversion and took an 8-7 lead with 3:34 left in the first half.

RJHS East recovered the onside kick at the Whirlwinds 47. Penalties halted any momentum Russellville had on the drive. The ’Winds faced second-and-18. An incomplete pass by Boles and a massive sack-for-loss later, and Russellville was forced to punt from their 27.

Beebe took over at its 44 with 1:54 left in the second quarter. It only took two plays to find the end zone. Quarterback Garret Gardenhire connected with Woodall for 38 yards to the Russellville 14. Franks finished with a run straight up the middle. The 2-point conversion was good, and Beebe widened the score to 16-7 at halftime.

The Whirlwinds’ final possession of the half stammered and fizzled out after a penalty, two blown blocks resulted in a tackles in the backfield and Boles’ deep pass to Ethan McGlone bounced off the hand of a defender and fell to the turf.

Beebe’s Trip Smith returned the third quarter opening kickoff 87 yards, straight up the center of the field, for a touchdown. After the 2-point conversion, the Badgers led 24-7.

Two plays into Russellville’s next possession, Boles connected with Turner for 29 yards to the Badger 39. Rhode picked up another five on the ground. Boles got the first down with a quarterback keeper to the 26. Yet again, a penalty slowed the drive’s momentum, when Boles’ pass was ruled intentional grounding. The Whirlwinds couldn’t convert on fourth down, and the Badgers took over at their 31.

From there, Beebe’s ground game made short work of RJHS East — and the clock. The Badgers finished its next drive, which took the rest of the third quarter and 20 seconds of the fourth, with a touchdown and widened their lead 32-7 after the 2-point conversion.

The Whirlwinds refused to give up. On the first play of their next possession, Rhode broke free down the left side 63 yards and got to the Beebe 4. But after the play, Rhode had to be helped off the field by the trainers.

Two plays later, Boles connected with Steven Baty for the touchdown, and RJHS East trailed 32-13 with 6:22 to go in the fourth quarter after a failed 2-point conversion.

The Badgers elected to go for the end zone on fourth down at their 39 with 2:40 left in the game and ahead by three scores.

They got the first down on a penalty, and crossed the goal line a few plays later. With 1:13 left in the fourth quarter, Beebe led 40-13.

“Knowing how to act when you’re ahead is something that takes practice,” East head coach Eston Jones said of the play. “We teach our kids to be classier than that.”

The Whirlwinds refused to let the scoreboard deter their effort. Russellville marched down the field on its next possession. Boles connected with Baty in the end zone for the touchdown. The 2-point conversion failed, and the final score was 40-19.

“We’re training these kids to be Cyclones,” Jones said. We’re about to send them a group of young men who don’t know what the word quit means. I’m proud to send these kids up to [RHS head] coach [Jeff] Holt. He’s going to have some great, physical, hard-working young men to work with.”

RJHS East will travel to Greenbrier next week.

Searcy 33, RJHS West 6

SEARCY — Russellville Junior High Westside suffered four turnovers, and Searcy’s Michael Parsley scored a pair of touchdowns as the Whirlwinds fell to the Cubs 33-6 on Thursday night.

The Cubs took a 7-0 lead with 5:14 to go in the first quarter after Michael Parsley’s 11-yard run that capped a 51-yard drive. Both teams suffered turnovers, with Keyshawn Thomas coming up with the interception for the Westside Whirlwinds (1-5). But RJHS fumbled the ball back to Searcy at the 46.

Late in the second quarter, the Cubs missed a field goal attempt, but took advantage of the Whirlwinds’ second turnover by giving the ball to Parsley again, who scored a touchdown with 2:16 left in the first half. Searcy led 13-0 after the missed 2-point conversion pass.

With :55 to go before halftime, the Cubs blocked Russellville’s punt attempt, and Conner Sparks returned it to the end zone for the touchdown. The West Whirlwinds blocked the PAT, and Searcy led 19-0.

The Cubs capped a 70-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by Luke Gibson with 56 seconds left in the third quarter. Searcy led 26-0 after the PAT.

Russellville got on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter on a 34-yard run by Jonathan Meyers. The West Whirlwinds trailed 26-6 after the 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete.

Russellville’s second fumble set up Searcy’s final touchdown, a 1-yard rush, and the Cubs set the final score at 33-6 with 2:52 remaining in the game.